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WPI 5.5


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Windows Post-Install Wizard (WPI for short) is a hypertext application designed for giving users choice. While Windows XP offers many ways of customizing the setup process out of the box, its major drawback is the lack of being able to select which applications an end user may install. In the past, end users and administrators needed to either download the files manually, or create overly complex scripts that could only be used once. WPI allows you to create one image, which can then be custom configured, and optionally, automated, so that end users can install any applications that have been configured into WPI.

Here is the 5.5 changelog:


v5.5 Updates - Released October 9, 2006
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


* Cured the alignment problem for Previous/Next buttons on the main window.
This also cured the alignment at the top.


* If 'Install by category' is checked, the category name is now shown in the
install window above each categories' items.


* Fixed a bug dealing with 'Sort Order' value not being changed in the
Navigation pane.


* Added 'Clone' to Config wizard to duplicate the current entry.


* The manual is now opened to the section you are at: Main, Options (to the
active tab), or Config.


* Commented out all alert() messages dealing with the install log file. They
would pause the installation process until user intervention.


* Added variable %root% to get WPI's parent folder.


* Lawrenca wrote code to add keyboard shortcuts, I updated it to:
Alt+Enter: Begin install
Ctrl+A: Select All
Ctrl+D: Select Default
Ctrl+N: Select None
Alt+O: Toggle Options Wizard
Alt+C: Toggle Config Wizard
Alt+S: Toggle Show Source
Alt+M: Toggle Manual
Alt+W: Toggle About WPI

Alt+B: Toggle Show Extra Buttons
Alt+B: Show list of global variables
Alt+T: Toggle Show Tool Tips

ESC: Close current wizard or Exit WPI

F1: Toggle Manual
F2: Toggle Options Wizard
F3: Toggle Config Wizard
F11: Toggle Show Source
F12: Toggle About WPI


* Added to Options -> Interface 'Use USSF in silent mode' to either open the
USSF window or silently append the switches.


* Added to Options -> Installer 'Re-open WPI after installation is complete'.
This can be used if launching stand-alone programs, like FireFox, from a USB
key. Or to check the status of cond[] and gcond[] conditions after installing
some core programs.


* Fixed the way the Config wizard file requester and USSF gadgets are toggled.


* Added DriveType() to check what kind of drive a letter is.
DriveType("D:")

Returns one of these values:
UNKNOWN, REMOVABLE, FIXED, NETWORK, CDROM, RAMDISK


* Added DriveExists() for cond and gcond statements.
DriveExists("E:")

Returns true or false.


* Installer now resumes before the desktop is displayed, but still after the
user logon.


* Put back "Show extra buttons" options in Options -> Interface. Also added
"Do not show if started from CD/DVD" to allow showing when run from harddrive
but automatically hide them when started from a CD/DVD.


* Fixed a bug dealing with wpipath.

===============================================================================

wpidl.png

Notes and Extras

Suggested disk folder layout:

th_72737_Untitled_1.jpg

With the above folder layout all your config entries should read like:

%wpipath%\Install\Blah.exe

I have seperated the tools out from the main archive. You can download the tools here:

Tools archive.

Contents of the tools archive:

WPI Config Lister

CDSwitch

autorun.inf <-- Updated and fixed

wpi.ico New icon thanks to WolfX2

TaskKillS.exe from sadicq

TaskKillS Instructions

Here is a quick start package that will set your windows disk up to use WPI with runonceex.

To make use of this archive all you need to do is unRAR it and place the %oem% folder beside the I386 and WPI folders.

%OEM% Folder.

Contents of the %OEM% archive:

Media Center Style XP Theme (Will Optimize the look of the installer window)

cmdlines.txt

runonceex.cmd

1194 .png images for your pleasure to use in your tooltips or whatever!

PNG Collection.

Here is a small tutorial on how to add an app to WPI!

Ok this is a sample (Very simple) configuration for Windows Defender Beta 2

This assumes you have all of the WPI files either in the WPI folder at the root of your Windows cd or all of the WPI folders (Common, Graphics, WPIScripts, Tools, Install and Themes) and the file WPI.hta at the root of your cd.

Remember this is just the most basic and required entries for a program!

#1 Place the desired app in the install folder. (In this case WindowsDefender.msi)

#2 Run WPI.hta and choose “Config”

#3 Choose at the very top above the config section “Add”

#4 Enter in the name section “Windows Defender” ßNo quotes! Then click on any other section of the config area to activate the rest of the wizard.

#5 You will notice the Unique ID section gets automatically configured for you.

#6 All apps are selected to be installed by default right from the start so if you don’t want it selected by default you must uncheck this box.

#7 Choose a category for your app to be displayed in. If you want the app to be displayed in a category you don’t see simply chose other and a box will appear that will allow the entry of you choice.

#8 In the Command 1 section browse to the installation package you want to have installed. You will get "%CDROM%\WPI\Install\WindowsDefender.msi"

#9 Add the necessary switches for the program to run silently i.e. %wpipath%\Install\WindowsDefender.msi /qn (The new U.S.S.F. feature can assist you in finding the switches for most common apps)

#10 Select the Save button and then the Exit button and you have now configured your first app!

Edited by Kelsenellenelvian
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Hi, thank you for this wonderfull app. :)

I have one comment, with the comming of this new version it would be most appreciated if the website was updated also i noticed the thread in ryanvm forum was last updated with version 5.1 even though your signature there was updated to 5.4.

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just reporting a glitch in the example config config_kels.js

is it supposed to have soooooooo many .net installs in there? ;)

edit: added a corrected version for those who don't know how to use notepad or dont want to click on thousands of delete buttons :)

post-39047-1160866195_thumb.jpg

config_kels.js

Edited by PhyrePhoX
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Is there a reason why the resolution setting would fail to work when installing inside XP Pro versus XP Mediacenter or Server 2003 ?

This never used to happen UNTIL I used the RyanVM post SP2 update pack. Granted that does not modify anything inside WPI, however I use the exact same WPI folder for all of my OS installations by way of junction points so I know for a fact that the WPI folder contents is identical, yet in XP Pro it remains @ 640x480 despite the fact that I have configured WPI to run @ 1024x768. Inside XP Mediacenter it switches to 1024 upon launch, same with Server 2003. XP Pro doesn't.

Strange.

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I downloaded the version 5.5. I tried to use the same method as was used in earlier version , 3.4 I believe.

I used to use .cmd files as a number of other actions needed to be taken apart from main installation, such as copying some icons to quick launch bar or configuration file to the installation folder, etc. Only the first part of the cmd file is executed. Subsequent actions are not taken & wpi hangs.

BTW i do have the findcd subroutine in these cmd files. These run from Z to D so that the wpi folder in the root of a volume does not get mistaken for cdrom.

Any reason for this behaviour? Any way, any solution to this ?

Edited by pmshah
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